WTC and CTC - help!!!

Carrera74

I contacted the WTC office back in 2005 to tell them that my partner was moving in and as he was working I gave his income details and I was advised that I was no longer able to claim tax credits but they would send me a form to fill in so that his exact income and mine could be assessed. Not long after I had a serious house fire and ended up living in temporary accommodation for 6 months. I remember a pack coming through but I presumed that as I had been told on the phone that our joint income was too much to claim I didn't fill it in.

This morning I received a letter stating that I have been paid too much tax credit so I contacted the tax office and they said as I didn't fill the form in there had been a termination notice given for the tax year 2005/6 and I had to pay back what I had got the year before (?). Anyway I explained about the fire and that I had presumed as I had contacted them by phone that I had done everything I should and didn't realise I still had to fill the form in. The lady that I spoke to was lovely and said she would send a appeal form to me to fill out to explain the circumstances - fingers crossed I won't have to pay it back.

Then she asked me if I had any children living with me. I said yes (my 2 children are both under 16) and she said I am entitled to child tax credit whether I am entitled to working tax credit or not - I never knew this!!! I thought they came together. I didn't realise that for the last 2 years I haven't been claiming money that I am entitled to

Is there anyway to get this backdated? I can't believe I could have been claiming this for the last 2 years. Argh!!!! I thought I was doing the right thing letting the Tax office know about my OH - they didn't mention anything about the CTC on the phone when I contacted them.